Kent police bust tool theft ring

A repeated victim of tool theft determined to connect trackers to his tools. When a drill went missing, he persuaded the police to act.

The peep the tagged merchandise resulted in officers uncovering surely one of their largest ever hauls of suspected stolen gadgets.

Officers from Kent Police’s Rural Job Force obtained and executed a warrant, assisted by colleagues from Thames Valley Police, at an take care of in Swattenden, shut to Cranbrook, correct after 7.30am on Friday 26^th April 2024

Besides to a entire bunch of energy tools, they recovered gadgets at the side of four autos, a quad bike and 6 caravans suspected to be stolen from areas as some distance afield as Bristol, Wales, Southampton and Staffordshire, as successfully as neighbouring Sussex.

Once officers enjoy performed cataloguing the recovered gadgets, it is believed that their mixed worth will exceed £500,000.

Five native males, faded between 18 and 44, were arrested alongside a 19-12 months-outmoded woman and 17-12 months-outmoded boy on suspicion of extra than one offences relating to to theft. They enjoy got since been bailed pending further investigations.

Police Sergeant Ross Haybourne of the Rural Job Force acknowledged: “We hope to reunite as quite loads of the gadgets as we can with their rightful owners as shortly as conceivable. Officers are in the technique of cataloguing the suspected stolen gadgets and a entire checklist will be released to the public in due route. Anyone wishing to exclaim gadgets listed need to present proof of possession or proof of aquire.

“We anticipate this to lift a appreciable amount of time and thank the public prematurely for their persistence while we undertake the job.

“Any tradespeople or these in possession of energy tools are suggested to mark their property, lift photos, and narrative serial numbers so that, in the occasion of theft, officers enjoy extra probability of returning property. We also characterize reporting any thefts in a timely system, providing as noteworthy detail as conceivable.”